NameCensus.

UK surname

Wiles

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a crafty or devious person, from Old English "wil", meaning trick.

In the 1881 census there were 2,592 people recorded with the Wiles surname, ranking it #1,720 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,808, ranked #1,775, down from #1,720 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, South Norfolk and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wiles is 4,103 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.9%.

1881 census count

2,592

Ranked #1,720

Modern count

3,808

2016, ranked #1,775

Peak year

1999

4,103 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wiles had 2,592 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,720 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,808 in 2016, ranked #1,775.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,039 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wiles surname distribution map

The map shows where the Wiles surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Wiles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wiles over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,804 #1,597
1861 historical 1,912 #1,522
1881 historical 2,592 #1,720
1891 historical 3,194 #1,484
1901 historical 3,518 #1,584
1911 historical 4,039 #1,270
1997 modern 3,945 #1,649
1998 modern 4,058 #1,662
1999 modern 4,103 #1,655
2000 modern 4,097 #1,654
2001 modern 3,972 #1,664
2002 modern 4,061 #1,663
2003 modern 3,976 #1,665
2004 modern 3,942 #1,681
2005 modern 3,863 #1,688
2006 modern 3,876 #1,683
2007 modern 3,883 #1,697
2008 modern 3,882 #1,711
2009 modern 3,925 #1,730
2010 modern 4,002 #1,738
2011 modern 3,918 #1,748
2012 modern 3,812 #1,761
2013 modern 3,874 #1,767
2014 modern 3,895 #1,763
2015 modern 3,842 #1,770
2016 modern 3,808 #1,775

Geography

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Where Wiles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Upwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, South Norfolk, Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire and Huntingdonshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Upwell Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 003 Fenland
2 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
3 Kingston upon Hull 026 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wiles

These lists show first names that appear often with the Wiles surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wiles

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wiles, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Wiles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wiles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wiles is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wiles is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wiles falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wiles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wiles, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wiles

The surname Wiles originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English word "wil," meaning trick or stratagem. The name likely referred to someone who was considered cunning or deceitful.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Wiles dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wilius." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name was found in various records as "Wile" and "Wyles." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One notable bearer of the Wiles surname was John Wiles, a 14th-century English landowner from Gloucestershire. He is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1340 as holding lands in the village of Blockley.

During the 16th century, the name Wiles appeared in several parish records across England, including those of Wiltshire, Dorset, and Oxfordshire. One such record from 1567 mentions a William Wiles, who was born in the village of Broad Chalke, Wiltshire.

In the 17th century, the Wiles family had established a presence in the county of Warwickshire. Richard Wiles (1609-1681), a prominent member of the family, was a prosperous landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace.

Another notable figure with the Wiles surname was Sir John Wiles (1685-1761), a successful lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in England during the reign of King George II.

In the 19th century, the Wiles name continued to be found across various parts of England, with concentrations in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Warwickshire. One such individual was William Wiles (1811-1891), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the Wiles surname has been associated with various locations in England, including the village of Willey in Warwickshire, which may have influenced some variations of the name's spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wiles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wiles surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 472 Wiles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 472 1.88x
Kent 421 4.87x
Middlesex 410 1.62x
Surrey 155 1.26x
Lincolnshire 128 3.16x
Norfolk 124 3.19x
Bedfordshire 115 8.77x
Suffolk 74 2.40x
Cambridgeshire 71 4.43x
Lancashire 59 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 54 1.58x
Hampshire 51 0.98x
Staffordshire 46 0.54x
Essex 44 0.88x
Sussex 40 0.94x
Hertfordshire 35 2.01x
Northamptonshire 31 1.30x
Dorset 28 1.69x
Durham 28 0.37x
Warwickshire 28 0.44x
Huntingdonshire 27 5.37x
Gloucestershire 22 0.44x
Herefordshire 17 1.64x
Somerset 15 0.37x
Cornwall 13 0.45x
Derbyshire 13 0.33x
Northumberland 10 0.27x
Oxfordshire 9 0.58x
Leicestershire 7 0.25x
Wiltshire 7 0.31x
Monmouthshire 6 0.33x
Devon 5 0.09x
Channel Islands 4 0.53x
Rutland 4 2.15x
Worcestershire 4 0.12x
Berkshire 3 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.20x
Cheshire 3 0.05x
Midlothian 3 0.09x
Anglesey 2 0.45x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Angus 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 57 Wiles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.32x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 57 2.32x
Tonbridge 38 12.20x
Sittingbourne 35 51.32x
St Pancras London 33 1.62x
Darlaston 31 26.25x
Mile End Old Town 30 7.51x
Ravensden 30 729.93x
Upwell 30 165.56x
Hendon 29 31.84x
Bethnal Green London 26 2.36x
Holy Trinity 25 4.14x
Bridlington 24 41.79x
Lambeth 22 1.00x
Bromley 21 15.95x
Camberwell 21 1.30x
Ipswich St Clement 20 25.52x
Hammersmith London 19 3.05x
Penshurst 19 130.85x
Plumstead 19 6.60x
Hackney London 18 1.27x
Preston Next Faversham 18 88.67x
St Andrewthe Less 18 9.83x
Holme On Spalding Moor 17 103.41x
Chiddingstone 16 141.72x
Shoreditch London 16 1.46x
St Marylebone London 16 1.18x
Cottingham 15 27.75x
Kensington London 15 1.07x
Milton In Milton 15 40.86x
Croydon 14 2.04x
Hickling 14 326.34x
Little Stanmore 14 186.92x
Margate St John Baptist 14 8.85x
St George In East 14 8.13x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 14 24.59x
Wisbech St Peter 14 17.41x
Bungay Holy Trinity 13 82.17x
Charlton 13 22.66x
Clapham 13 245.75x
Hythe St Leonard 13 42.60x
Milton Ernest 13 356.16x
Rothwell 13 25.66x
Bow London 12 3.72x
Catherington 12 104.71x
Flamborough 12 98.77x
Nafferton 12 112.25x
South Cave 12 143.88x
Battersea 11 1.18x
Coventry Holy Trinity 11 5.77x
Drypool 11 28.65x
Greenwich 11 2.73x
Isleworth 11 9.77x
Kilham 11 104.46x
Leeds 11 0.78x
Nottingham St Mary 11 1.25x
Sculcoates 11 2.77x
Spaldington 11 428.02x
Chelsea London 10 1.31x
Great Driffield 10 19.43x
Hastings Holy Trinity 10 31.80x
Hitchin 10 12.70x
Luton 10 4.41x
March 10 18.63x
Millbrook 10 7.65x
Salford 10 1.13x
St Albans 10 27.97x
St Mary 10 59.63x
Askerswell 9 497.24x
Chislet 9 92.21x
Dorking 9 10.87x
Elford 9 243.24x
Lynsted 9 80.43x
Murston 9 117.96x
Offham 9 289.39x
Outwell 9 119.21x
Southill 9 84.75x
St Ives 9 16.05x
Stoke Under Hambdon 9 67.31x
Tenterden 9 29.55x
Wetwang 9 166.36x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Wiles surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 169
Elizabeth 98
Sarah 93
Eliza 55
Jane 54
Emma 43
Ann 42
Annie 40
Emily 36
Alice 35
Hannah 33
Harriet 27
Ada 25
Ellen 24
Charlotte 22
Fanny 19
Margaret 19
Martha 19
Louisa 17
Clara 15
Edith 15
Florence 15
Kate 15
Sophia 15
Harriett 11
Maria 11
Agnes 10
Amelia 10
Caroline 10
Susan 10
Anne 9
Lucy 9
Rose 9
Amy 8
Frances 8
Catherine 7
Gertrude 7
Matilda 7
Susannah 7
Anna 6
Eleanor 6
Esther 6
Grace 6
Bessie 5
Ethel 5
Flora 5
Jessie 5
Minnie 5
Bertha 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Wiles surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 180
John 124
George 95
Thomas 76
James 67
Charles 52
Henry 45
Alfred 44
Robert 41
Frederick 37
Arthur 30
Edward 25
Joseph 24
Richard 24
Walter 21
Albert 20
Ernest 16
Herbert 15
Samuel 15
Harry 13
Stephen 12
David 11
Benjamin 10
Francis 9
Fred 9
Edwin 8
Frank 8
Thos. 8
Edgar 6
Horace 5
Tom 5
Anthony 4
Chas. 4
Edmund 4
Lewis 4
Andrew 3
Elijah 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Harold 3
Isaac 3
Jabez 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Josiah 3
Marmaduke 3
Matthew 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Philip 3

FAQ

Wiles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wiles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,592 people were recorded with the Wiles surname. That placed it at #1,720 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wiles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,808 in 2016. That gives Wiles a modern rank of #1,775.

What does the Wiles surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a crafty or devious person, from Old English "wil", meaning trick.

What does the Wiles map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wiles bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.